The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure it is right.

The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all.

A real leader is somebody who can help us overcome the limitations of our own individual laziness and selfishness and weakness and fear and get us to do better, harder things than we can get ourselves to do on our own.

You have all the characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.

There is nothing more tyrannical than a strong popular feeling among a democratic people.

Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.

Every communist must grasp the truth: “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”

O citizens, first acquire wealth; you can practice virtue afterward.

I shall be an autocrat: that’s my trade. And the good Lord will forgive me: that’s his.

The Revolution is made by man, but man must forge his revolutionary spirit from day to day.

To be turned from one’s course by men’s opinions, by blame, and by misrepresentation shows a man unfit to hold office.

What experience and history teach is this—that nations and governments have never learned anything from history or acted upon any lessons they might have drawn from it.

You should never have your best trousers on when you go out to fight for freedom and truth.